Like Father, Like Son
by 0re0C00ki35.xo
Summary: RoleSwap between Archie and Fred in the season 1 finale
1. chapter 1

Archie stood there numbly, his mind racing but a million miles away. His chest felt tight and he was sweating. He felt adrenaline pump through his veins yet he felt so tired.

How did a simple morning breakfast become this?

He could hear shouting between Pop and another man, probably the one who had smashed all the plates and glasses across the floor.

He caught eyes with his dad, who stared straight back, shaking his head pleadingly.

'Don't show yourself. Don't put yourself in danger. Stay where you are. Things are going to be okay.'

His eyes remained fixated on his father, his fear certainly evident in them.

'Dad, I'm scared.'

It was at that point where Fred stood up, giving his son one last, 'You're going to be okay. I'll protect you, just don't move.' look before turning to face the man wrecking havoc for money in a diner.

"Give me your wallet!" Archie heard a man growl, and watched as his dad calmly raised his hands. The man then came into view, however he could not see the man himself for he wore a black mask.

He repeated himself, and Archie shrunk back into the corner, not hiding in the bathroom, but not staying on the scene either.

Archie's heart stopped as the man took a side glance down the isle, and locked eyes with him. He saw his dad look at him too, eyes wide with fear and horror as the gun turned to him.

"Get over here, kid! Now!"

He heard his dad shout, "No, wait! Here! Please leave him be!" But Archie's eyes remained fixated at the gun pointing at him. He silently obeyed the man, coming foward timidly and slowly. He reached the corner of the isle, right infront of the man and he could feel his dad's presence and few feet away. He felt scared.

Archie saw Pop behind the armed man with a phone held up to his ear, he locked contact with Archie, mouthing, "They're on their way, just hold on."

The man cocked his gun to the side, still staring at Archie. "Anything valuable, kid?"

"N-no I-"

"Nothing! Please, take my wallet and go! No one has to get hurt today." His dad all but yelled. He turned around to his Dad, both of their fearful eyes strangely comforting Archie. He didn't feel alone.

"You can take the rest of the money from the past night, which is still behind the counter, please just leave us be!" Pop chimed in.

The man seemed to survey the situation, as if considering. That was until he heard the sirens in the distance and his eyes widened in panic. He looked at the Father and Son, aware they hadn't made any move to call the police, so he turned to Pop, keeping the gun on Archie, "You called them!"

Pop dropped the phone, raising his hands and stuttering an apology. It was then that the man seemed ready to escape, only for Pop to shout "Don't!"

The man appeared to realise that the two older men would try to stop him from leaving, however Archie knew he himself would remain frozen, knowing his Dad wouldn't stop the man if his son was in danger.

Suddenly, the man faced Archie, a look of anger, panic, and... guilt... in his eyes. Archie knew what was about to happen, yet he had barely anytime to process it before a loud gunshot echoed through the room, and his lower ribs began to burn as he was pushed back by a strong force.

A distraction.

He faintly heard his Dad and Pop yelling as he stumbled backwards, his hand automatically reaching out for something as he fell. Yet he was caught by two big, broad and safe arms, and lowered down gently.

Dad.

"Archie. H-hey kiddo." He said as he manouvered his son so that his legs were underneath Archie's and he was in his arms.

Fred placed a hand on top of where Archies' rest against the wound, his hand already warm and sticky the moment it made contact.

'Oh God. Please no, not him. Not Archie. Not yet. Not my baby boy.' His thoughts raced.

Archie coughed slightly, his arm reached up to grab at his Dads'. He needed to feel safe. He was scared, so he needed his Dad to protect him. His eyes found his Dad's, who smiled down at him and asked shakily, "You with me?"

Archie felt too tired to even nod or shake his head or ask his Dad what he meant. Wait why was he on the ground again?

Fred could see his sons' eyes rolling, so he shook him slightly, "Archie? Archie! Kid! Stay with me! Keep your eyes open, okay? I'm right here, your dad's here, you're gonna be okay."

"D-dad?" He choked, gasping in pain afterwards. Fred shushed him quietly, like it was just a nightmare.

Pop ran over to them, "O-oh God! Archie! I- here, put pressure on that wound!"

He handed Fred a cloth which he pressed on the bullet wound as it pumped blood out rhythmetically. Fred watched in horror as Archie hissed in pain, and choked on a sob as he arched his back up. Pop ran back to the phone and began screaming again.

Fred once again soothed his son, "I know, I know. Just stay awake Archie, please! I can't lose you! God, Archie, just... just please don't leave!" He sobbed.

As the Father rocked his only child as he was dying, the door was kicked open and a herd of Police Officers barged through. When they caught sight of the dying teen and no criminal, they lowered their weapons and ran towards them.

An officer Fred barely recognised, spoke into his walkie talkie, yet Fred could not tear away his eyes from Archie. He felt as though if he did, he would never see him again. God, he was losing him.

Suddenly he was being pulled away from his son as two paramedics lay him on a stretcher. He struggled with everything he had, momentarily breaking free and crawling closer to Archie, only to be pulled away again.

Things passed in a blur. A white, quiet, panicked blur. It was only when Fred was sitting on a metal chair in a hospital waiting room where his mind caught up to him. He looked at his hands, both of which were red, but not with blood. When he had seen the blood on his hands, he had ran to the bathroom, thrown up violently, then scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed his hands until-

'Archie's blood isn't there. My baby boys' blood isn't on my hands. Archie's blo-'

He looked down at his shirt and supressed the urge to vomit. He had no other clothes, but he had to do something or he may scream and punch and tear off his shirt and cry and-

He pulled out his phone and called the one other person who had a key to his house, he needed new clothes and he needed them now.

After five rings, they picked up.

"Mr Andrews?"

"Jughead. I need you to do something now."

He heard the boy shuffle, maybe sitting up on bed or something.

"Is there something wrong? Are you okay? Archie?"

"Jughead. Please. Just get me and Archie new outfits to wear and meet me in the hospital waiting room as soon as possible. Can you do that?"

Jughead's breathing hitched. "Wait, if you're in the waiting room, then Arch... Oh God, Fred what happened to Archie?"

Fred knew he had to tell Archies' best friend. He knew Archie would want him there. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "He's been shot."

He heard Jughead pause, before heavy sobs followed through. He knew Jughead would do the job, so he said, "Please. Jug?"

"Yeah. Just, call me if-"

"I will. Thank you." And with that, he ended the call before shrinking in on himself and copying Jughead.

He sobbed and sobbed.

Not until his chest hurt.

Not until Jughead showed up.

Not until Betty and Veronica followed.

Not even when there were no more tears left to cry.

No. Fred Andrews only stopped sobbing when the doctor walked over with an unknown expression on his face - one which made all five present freeze in horror and despair.

He only stopped crying when the words of his sons' fate left the doctors mouth.

Because now, now there were no more tears left to shed.


	2. chapter 2

**_WARNING: MENTIONS OF PEDOPHILIA, RAPE AND CHILD ABUSE_** ** _MISS GRUNDY IS ALSO MENTIONED_**

It was the first things that a parent remembers about their child:

First cry. First smile. First laugh. First steps. First word. First hold. First tooth. First day at school. First birthday. First football game. First grazed knee. First hospital trip.

All the first.

Fred could remember holding Archie for the first time. The way his kid had screamed and cried until he was tucked in his Fathers' arms. It was then, when looking down at the peaceful face of him firstborn child, his only son, that he cried while Archie slept blissfully. He remembered a spark igniting in his chest, the urge to love, protect and care.

It was a lifelong promise he had intended to keep.

However, no parent can protect their child from all harm, for a child must learn what is dangerous and what isn't. Like running down the stairs, or not looking when walking down the street, or not blowing before eating hot food.

It was a promise that can only be broken so many times. It can be chipped, but never broken.

And Fred Andrews had broken the promise he made to his son.

The first time he had broken it was when he had gotten drunk one afternoon, like an average man would. He had drunk more than intended. It was after him and Archie's mother had broken up for the third time (they had a rocky relationship) and he had had enough.

He had felt angry, frustrated and stressed. And then a 9 year old Archie came down the stairs with tears falling from his eyes, asking where his Mother was. And Fred had just snapped. He had grabbed Archie's wrist on a bone crushing grip, screaming at him saying how she had left them, left him all alone because she didn't care about them. Then Archie had sobbed and begged his Dad to let go and that his Dad was scaring him.

Fred had let go in horror and fear, calling out for Archie as he darted up the stairs cradling his arm. Fred sobbed as he chased after him, apologising repeatedly - only to get a door in his face which had been seemingly barricaded. He had sat outside the door the whole night, crying and drowning in his self-loathing.

He had fallen asleep a while later only to wake up to a mop of red hair under his chin and small hands wrapped around his neck. He woke up Archie, cringing as he flinched and held his now purple arm against him. Fred cried again and apologised, only for Archie to cry and forgive him. He promised Archie to never lay a hand on him again, to never hurt him like that again. That day, they went out to get ice cream, and go to the movies together because Fred was determined to spoil Archie and show him how sorry he really was.

The second time it happened, it was with Miss Grundy. Fred had read up about child molesters, pedophiles, and rape when Archie was in his first year of high school. He knew what Statutory Rape was, and he thought he would be able to protect Archie from all of it, and tell him that Rape can happen to boys too.

Then he found out that Archie's music teacher had been having sex with his son. And Archie was so hellbent with the idea that he had provoked it, he had wanted it, that he was responsible. But Fred knew what manipulation and being a hormonal horny teenager was. He knew what had really happened.

Miss Grundy was a child pedophile who molested his son. A woman in a position of power over his kid who had manipulated him into thinking that he wanted it, when quite frankly, he didn't. Fred knew his kid, and he knew Archie had boundries when it came to dating and relationships.

Teachers, for Archie, had always been a no go.

So he knew, he knew his son had been corrupted by this bitch in uniform. He wanted to tear her apart, his entire soul seething with rage and anger and the desire to protect.

After the confrontation, Fred knew Archie blamed himself for it all. But Fred didn't want to tell Archie that he was raped. He ahd to protect Archie, and if Archie thought he hadn't been hurt, then that was enough for now. But still, he could not let Archie believe it was because of him. So he pulled Archie out of the car, and told him it wasn't his fault, before holding his son tightly in his arms, not daring to let go. He silently made a promise to protect Archie from anyone like Miss Grundy, and to never let anyone like that go near him nor get away with it like she had.

And now, here Fred was... threading his fingers through red hair, sitting next to a hospital bed which held his son. Archie lay with his eyes closed and features slack. His skin was clammy, and his hair stuck to his forehead. He was pale, God, he was so so pale.

If it wasn't for the monitor which measured Archie's oxygen levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, Fred would think his boy was dead.

Fred didn't dare take his eyes away from Archie, afraid he would miss something if he did. He had to protect him, he had to take care of him, and he couldn't do that if he wasn't watching him.

He continued to stroke through Archie's hair, unaware of what was taking place around him.

"M-Mr Andrews?"

"It's Fred, Jughead." He said tonelessly. He could feel the nervous energy radiating off of the teen behind him.

"S-shouldn't you g-go home and u-uh-"

"I'm not going anywhere until Archie does." He said with a finality even Veronica couldn't argue against.

"Well, um... Cheryl sends her wishes, she'd stop by, but, some stuff went down at Thornhill." Veronica stuttered.

Fred mumbled a thank you before refocusing his complete attention on his son, his fingers now stroking along the hair on his temple and behind his ear.

The teens had a conversation around them, however Fred could hear it like he was underwater.

"Did the doctor say anything about when he'll wake up?"

"Veronica, didn't you listen? He said 'if' not when!"

"Jug! Relax!"

"No, Betty! Archie is... and we..." soft crying finished the sentence.

"Wait, Betty, if he isn't waking up, then that means..."

"He's in a coma." Betty finished for Veronica.

Fred closed his eyes, willing his tears to disappear. He re-opened them almost instantly, remembering he had to watch over Archie.

He silently begged any God out there to let his son live, swearing on everything he ever had that if he did, this time, Fred would protect him. He swore to never, ever break his promise again. Even it cost him his own life.

He just couldn't lose Archie.

'God, please don't take him away from me. I'll do better, I promise. I'm begging you, not Archie!"

He'd do better. He'd protect Archie from everything, tell him everyday that he loves him, he would never hurt him.

He promised.


End file.
